Cloncurry residents face renewed uncertainty over healthcare following the resignation of the town's only full time, accredited general practitioner.
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Dr Cameron Hoare, who has served as medical superintendent at Cloncurry Hospital and operated the local General Practice, will leave his positions on June 5 and June 25, respectively.
He described his experience as "classic burnout," acknowledging that it had affected both his ability to manage patients and his personal wellbeing.
He typically worked 50-60 hours a week, handling a variety of tasks, including signing off local medical results, continuing care for patients despite them being transferred to the hospital and managing numerous other responsibilities that added up over time.
"Due to the effect it was having on my health, I have had to resign," Dr Hoare said.
"It's a combination of things. It's the workload, it's the lack of support on the ground...We've been understaffed for a significant time.
"It's like juggling 10 balls at one time."
While things have improved since his early years in Cloncurry, Dr Hoare explained that the system still needed significant change.
"80-hour weeks weren't unusual when I first started at Cloncurry," he said.
"Things have improved, but they're still not at the point where they need to be."
Dr Hoare stressed the need for recognition of the challenges in rural medicine, noting that the on-call burden was heavy and living remotely required higher skills.
"Locums are not the answer... they are like plugging the hole," he said.
Despite the pressure, Dr Hoare expressed pride in the care he provided over the last decade, and he acknowledged the support he had received from the community, as well as from his husband, Craig Bertwistle.
Since taking over the practice in 2022, Dr Hoare introduced visiting doctors specialising in skin cancer, helped deliver health talks in local schools, and ensured mental health support was available for healthcare workers.
He also helped organise doctors for local boxing events.
Dr Hoare stressed that strong primary healthcare and a well-trained rural generalist program were vital investments.
He was proud that after training registrars, all of them had gained specialist registration and continued working in rural Australia - a goal of his that involved bringing greater healthcare support to rural communities.
He hoped with his resignation, there could be more consideration for the toll on rural doctors.
"Burnout sneaks up on you, and after ignoring your psychologist, your doctor for ages... you need to take action," he said.
While he was taking time to recover, he expressed concern that the community would bear the brunt of his departure.
"It's the community that suffers... it's sad that this has become an accepted event across rural Australia," he said.
"It doesn't need to be, and shouldn't be."
Dr Hoare is working with the Cloncurry Council, North West Hospital and Health Service, and other stakeholders to develop a long-term solution.
"I'm very hopeful that the changes we make will make the system work long-term," he said.
Reflecting on his time in Cloncurry, Dr. Hoare shared his appreciation for the community.
"I moved to Cloncurry as it was a fantastic and supportive town that looked after one another, and I have met the most amazing and strong people in the community," he said.
Queensland Health, RDAQ and Cloncurry Council were contacted for comment but did not respond at the time of publication.
